Grasmoor

Walked on 13/01/2012

Start point: Lanthwaite Green (NY 159 208)

Lanthwaite Green – Grasmoor – Crag Hill – Wandope – Thirdgill Head Man – Whiteless Pike – Whiteless Breast – Low Bank – Rannerdale Knotts – Lanthwaite Green

Distance: 7.1 miles Total Ascent: 1038 metres Time Taken: 4 hours Start Time: 09:00

Weather: Cold, very clear. 2°C

As I passed through Ambleside In could see the blood red sky to the south east catching me. As I went through Keswick, I could see a lovely inversion forming over Derwent Water but I managed to press on regardless despite these fantastic condition to head for Buttermere. I was rewarded with the shot I wanted across early morning Buttermere and then a walk in absolute clarity on the north western fells, taking in Grasmoor by the direct route from Lanthwaite Green – a steep one and not for the faint hearted. As Wainwright described it ‘On the whole, however, the climb is probably less difficult than the North Wall of the Eiger’!

Dawn at Buttermere.

Pink sky.

Beautiful red sky and reflections looking to Fleetwith Pike.

Grasmoor direct Route Map.

This photo was taken after the walk but shows today's route of ascent to Grasmoor - straight up!

Early morning Mellbreak from Lanthwaite Green.

At the foot of the (gulp!) climb.

Love the sky.

Low lying cloud in the Crummock Valley.

Climbing the scree slope.

Mellbreak from the scree. I was in the shade for the whole climb being on the north face of Grasmoor.

The Loweswater Fells.

Carling Knott and Burnbank Fell.

At the top of the grassy rake looking towards Whiteside.

There were many photos of Mellbreak today but there are great views from here.

Loweswater.

Whiteside and Gasgale Gill.

The view from the Pinnacle.

Climbing to Grasmoor End.

Made it...

...but there's still a fair walk to get to the summit from here. At least the going is easier and I am in the sunshine now

Would you like ice with your drink Dougal?

Dougal on the frosty summit.

Grasmoor summit.

Looking into the sunshine towards the Scafells.

Hopegill Head.

Hopegill Head, Grisedale Pike and Skiddaw from Dove Crags.

Fabulous views for miles today.

Layers upon layers of fells.

Distant Skiddaw and Blencathra.

Looking back to the top of Grasmoor.

Crag Hill within touching distance. It wasn't on the agenda...but go on then.

Frozen pool at the crossroads.

The summit of Crag Hill and that trig. column is going to collapse soon (look at the bottom left of it).

Coledale panorama - select on the image to see a larger version.

Dougal and Casper on frosted Crag Hill.

Grasmoor from the descent.

Wandope.

Crag Hill from Wandope summit.

Whiteless Edge and Whiteless Pike from Thirdgill Head.

Looking back to Thirdgill Head and Wandope.

A view through to Helvellyn from Whiteless Pike, Ard Crags and Knott Rigg in the foreground.

Looking back from the descent of Whiteless Pike.

Rannerdale Knotts from Whiteless Breast.

Low Bank.

Crummock Water and Loweswater from Rannerdale Knotts summit.

Whiteless Pike looks shapely from here.

Descending towards Crummock Water and Mellbreak.

Grasmoor from Lanthwaite Green.

Coledale Round

Walked on 02/06/2011

Start point: Braithwaite (NY 227 237)

Braithwaite – Kinn – Grisedale Pike – Hobcarton Head – Hopegill Head – Sand Hill – Coledale Hause – Crag Hill – Sail – Scar Crags – Causey Pike – Outerside – Stile End – Barrow – Braithwaite

Distance: 9.8 miles Total Ascent: 1400 metres Time Taken: 4 hours 35 minutes Start Time: 07:00

Weather: Brightening, warm. 18°C

A heat wave was predicted for today and continuing over the weekend – well, it was indeed pretty warm but there was plenty of cloud cover around all morning with it only clearing (predictably) when I reached the end of the walk. It was a pleasant round though, not too warm and I was out early enough to miss most of the crowds that were sure to be out later.

Coledale route map.

Dullsville at the start of the walk, Skiddaw is under there somewhere.

On Kinn.

A touch of brightness beginning to show on the climb to Grisedale Pike.

The mist was swirling and rising from the valleys now, looking across to Outerside and Causey Pike.

Sunburst through the mist.

Looking back at the path just climbed.

Dougal and Casper on the rivet that marks the summit of Grisedale Pike.

Hobcarton Head with Hopegill Head beyond lost in cloud.

Hobcarton Crag and Ladyside Pike.

Looking back to Grisedale Pike.

Sunshine at Coledale Hause looking to Eel Crag on Crag Hill. That way straight up looks interesting and I have never been that way so I think a bit of a scramble is called for.

Yes Dougal, up that-a way! I enjoyed the scramble up here, it was a good way up.

Sand Hill across Coledale Hause.

Climbing Eel Crag.

Casper on the edge of Coledale.

The summit of Crag Hill.

Wandope and Sail Beck from The Scar.

The summit of Sail.

The descent towards Scar Crags and Causey Pike.

Fix the Fells? Fix the Fells!

Ruin them, more like.

Sail and Crag Hill from Scar Crags.

Causey Pike ahead.

Looking across Coledale to Hopegill Head and Grisedale Pike.

Hindscarth and Robinson.

Derwent Water from Causey Pike.

A panoramic view from Causey Pike.

Sail and Crag Hill from Outerside.

Causey Pike from Stile End.

Barrow and Barrow Door.

Suddenly it is starting to clear up on the summit of Barrow.

Catbells.

A panoramic view from the descent.

Clearing skies now on the descent from Barrow.

Cooling off in Coledale Beck. Later, at Low Wood it is a beautiful day and 22C...

Rannerdale Round

Walked on 09/05/2008

Start point: Rannerdale Bridge (NY 163 192)

Rannerdale Bridge – Lad Hows (534) – Grasmoor – Crag Hill – Wandope – Thirdgill Head Man – Whiteless Pike – Whiteless Breast – Low Bank – Rannerdale Knotts – Rannerdale Bridge

Distance: 7.5 miles Total Ascent: 1080 metres Time Taken: 3 hours 30 minutes

Weather: Dull with showers. 19ºC.

There were two reasons to come to Buttermere today – to walk the Lad Hows ridge to Grasmoor and to see the Rannerdale Bluebells out in force. A third reason was that it has been warm and sunny all week, surely there would be more of the same today, or would there? I thought so as I headed off in shorts and tee shirt with plenty of sun block on…

Grasmoor from Cinderdale Common.

Cinderdale Beck.

Rannerdale Knotts from the start of the climb to Lad Hows.

Casper manages to keep still whilst the water flows around him in Cinderdale Beck.

Mellbreak across Crummock Water.

High Stile and Red Pike beyond Rannerdale Knotts.

Casper on Lad Hows.

The climb to Grasmoor from Lad Hows.

Layers of fells - the Scafells beyond Great Gable and Robinson beyond Whiteless Pike.

Buttermere from Grasmoor.

Heading for Crag Hill from Grasmoor in an odd light. The path appears continuous from here but actually dips sharply down at the point.

Thirdgill Head Man and Whiteless Pike from Grasmoor.

The summit of Crag Hill.

Casper spots the rain coming in from Keswick.

That'll wash the sun block off! Derwent Water between Outerside, Barrow and Causey Pike

Descending to Wandope.

Grasmoor from Wandope.

The view from Wandope looking over Newlands Hause.

It was bucketing down with rain now descending Whiteless Edge to Whiteless Pike from Thirdgill Head Man.

Crummock Water and Loweswater from the descent.

Great Gable, Pillar and Haystacks across Buttermere.

High Stile from Rannerdale Knotts.

Mellbreak across Crummock Water from the desecnt of Rannerdale Knotts.

Heading into Rannerdale.

All Bluebells are blue.

Mellbreak and Rannerdale.

Casper in Bluebell city.

Coledale Round

Walked on 06/11/2006

Start point: Braithwaite (NY 227 237)

Braithwaite – Kinn – Grisedale Pike – Hobcarton Head – Hopegill Head – Sand Hill – Coledale Hause – Crag Hill – Sail – Scar Crags – Causey Pike – Outerside – Stile End – Barrow – Braithwaite

Distance: 11 miles Total Ascent: 1430 metres Time Taken: 4 hours 35 minutes

Weather: Initially dull and cool turning to blue skies and sunshine. 12oC.

It was certainly a day of two halves today – the ascent to Grisedale Pike was done under dull skies with an increasingly cold wind that lasted until the descent of Sail when the skies ahead suddenly started clearing to reveal blue skies and sunshine. It wasn’t quite what we had last week, but I wasn’t complaining – it could have been much worse.

Skiddaw from the climb up to Kinn.

Looking across Coledale to Barrow and Causey Pike.

The steep ascent to Grisedale Pike.

...and from further up.

Sail and Crag Hill at the head of Coledale, Force Crag mine workings below.

Looking back along the eastern ridge used to climb Grisedale Pike.

Sand Hill and Hopegill Head.

Crag Hill.

Looking back to Grisedale Pike from Hobcarton Head.

Whiteside from Hopegill Head, Crummock Water and Mellbreak in view to the left.

Casper on Hopegill Head.

Looking across Coledale Hause to Crag Hill, the path used in ascent leads off to the right.

Outerside and Causey Pike.

'She'll carry on through it all, she's a waterfall...'

Sunrays over High Snockrigg and Wandope.

The sun lights up Outerside from a misty Crag Hill summit.

Angus shows how windy it was on Crag Hill. It was a cold blast too.

More sunrays on Knott Rigg.

As if by magic...blue sky and sun appear descending from Sail towards Scar Crags. Outerside, Stile End and Barrow are the three peaks in the centre with the bulk of Skiddaw and Blencathra beyond.

Causey Pike from Scar Crags. Blencathra is to the left then Great Mell Fell, Clough Head and Great Dodd.

Looking back along the ridge just descended to Crag Hill, the summit still in cloud.

Skiddaw over Barrow.

'Here's to you (Mrs) Robinson.'!

Clough Head and Great Dodd across Derwent Water from the summit of Outerside.

Clough Head.

Blencathra.

Stile End and Barrow.

Angus and Casper have a drink in the tarn on the way to Stile End.

Barrow from Stile End.

Cat Bells from Barrow.

Looking across Derwent Water to Bleaberry Fell with The Dodds and the Helvellyn ridge beyond, the skies still improving.

Sunburst over Causey Pike.

Bassenthwaite Lake and Braithwaite from the descent of Barrow.

A final view of Skiddaw.

Coledale Horseshoe

Walked on 18/11/2004

Start point: Braithwaite (NY 227 237)

Braithwaite – Kinn (209) – Grisedale Pike (210) – Hobcarton Head (211) – Hopegill Head (212)– S and Hill (213) – Coledale Hause – Crag Hill (214) – Sail (215) – Scar Crags (216) – Causey Pike(217) – Outerside (218) – Stile End (219) – Barrow (220) – Braithwaite

Weather: Snow from the ascent of Grisedale Pike.

Today’s walk takes in a circuit of the Coledale Fells. The weather conditions didn’t look too promising from the valley, but it wasn’t so bad considering. The snowy, wintery conditions made a pleasant change from the recent downpours.